Student sues Apple for $1 billion over false arrest linked to facial recognition tech

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in General Discussion
An 18-year-old student launched a $1 billion lawsuit against Apple and an associated security firm on Monday, accusing the pair of falsely linking him to a series of store thefts.

Apple Boylston Street


At fault is the company's in-store facial recognition software, according to a complaint filed on behalf of Ousmane Bah, seen by Bloomberg. Bah was arrested at his New York home in November.

The arrest warrant used a photo that doesn't resemble Bah, the suit claims, adding that on the day of a crime in Boston, Bah was actually attending his senior prom in Manhattan. It's suggested that a thief may have obtained Bah's lost learner's permit -- one without a photo -- and used that as a form of ID at Apple stores. In a bid to track down the suspect, Apple may have mistakenly connected the permit with another person's face.

The security firm named in the case is Security Industry Specialists. Both it and Apple have declined comment.

Apple stores can be a lucrative target for robbers and thieves, given high-demand electronics displayed out in the open. In some instances this has been exacerbated by Apple's choice of all-glass storefronts -- more brazen robbers will ram cars, trucks, or SUVs through the glass, grab what they can, then run to a nearby getaway vehicle.

Based on its track record, Apple will most likely try to settle out of court unless it can clearly demonstrate it wasn't at fault and/or that the accusation is frivolous.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 56
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    $1 Billion? BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! He'll be lucky to get $1 Million. Shit, he'll be lucky to get $100,000. 
    edited April 2019 StrangeDayscurtis hannaholswatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 56
    sirozhasirozha Posts: 801member
    Thanks for telling us how to rob an Apple store. 
    cornchipcurtis hannahwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 56
    JWSCJWSC Posts: 1,203member
    macxpress said:
    $1 Billion? BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! He'll be lucky to get $1 Million. Shit, he'll be lucky to get $100,000. 
    Well, he’ll likely get something.  $1 billion?  Of course not.  But I’m sure he’ll be able to find good uses for $100,000, minus lawyer’s fees of course.
    tenchi211Roger_Fingascurtis hannahwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 56
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    Is his lawyer being paid fees or is his lawyer taking a 30% cut of the winnings, if any.
    n2itivguywatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 56
    There is less than no basis to his complaint: he will likely get nothing, including no settlement. His complaint should not be directed at Apple or the security firm, as they did nothing directly to facilitate his arrest. The arrest was the result of a presumably lawfully issued warrant, so his whining about the conduct of the police and courts will do no good. Hint: this is not a matter of false arrest. He should take responsibility for his loss of his temporary identification and find another way to snatch his "15 minutes of fame!"
    n2itivguyjbdragonwozwozcharlesgres13485rbc-4watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 56
    What facial recognition software??
    If they had any they would be able to arrest the same kids who run into stores and steal phones and watches and run out. Only to find out that they get bricked if you try to erase them. 
    jbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 56
    larryalarrya Posts: 606member
    mlafferty said:
    There is less than no basis to his complaint: he will likely get nothing, including no settlement. His complaint should not be directed at Apple or the security firm, as they did nothing directly to facilitate his arrest. The arrest was the result of a presumably lawfully issued warrant, so his whining about the conduct of the police and courts will do no good. Hint: this is not a matter of false arrest. He should take responsibility for his loss of his temporary identification and find another way to snatch his "15 minutes of fame!"
    Let’s drag you out of bed at 5AM for a crime you didn’t commit, using an arrest warrant based on a picture that doesn’t look like you, and see if you don’t do a little “whining”.  
    Roger_FingascornchipJohan42StrangeDaysbala1234burnsidebonobobkimberlysteveaumichelb76
  • Reply 8 of 56
    sirozha said:
    Thanks for telling us how to rob an Apple store. 
    Like you needed help.
    It’s a glass box with devices laying on tables.

    Robbing the store is easy, getting anything from what you steal is a different matter. All of the devices get bricked, plus if you are stupid enough, as soon as you try to erase it and connect to the internet it will ping your location. 

    Only way the fence the goods is to sell them to some poor unsuspecting fool who doesn’t check to see if activation lock is turned off. If you see an Apple device being sold way too cheap, be very wary of getting ripped off or robbed yourself. 
    edited April 2019 cornchipStrangeDaysradarthekatjbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 56
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    Let me help Apple against such crazy people. Did this Bah reported his lost learner's permit to his local DMV or law enforcement ? Probably not. That means he helped as co-conspire in robbery. He would loose money in court and attorney cost.
    edited April 2019 radarthekatwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 56
    Johan42Johan42 Posts: 163member
    Sure, sue, but for 1 billion dollars? This kid is crazy.
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 56
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Kid’s gonna lose anyway.  I want to know more about this facial recognition stuff.  Is Apple using this on people that enter their stores?  

    Are we talking “Minority Report”?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 56
    JWSC said:
    macxpress said:
    $1 Billion? BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! He'll be lucky to get $1 Million. Shit, he'll be lucky to get $100,000. 
    Well, he’ll likely get something.  $1 billion?  Of course not.  But I’m sure he’ll be able to find good uses for $100,000, minus lawyer’s fees of course.
    He will not get $100K as that would lead everyone to sue for a billion for no reason.

    I bet that he gets nothing.  I'll be lucky to get an iPhone case or something like that.
    jbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 56
    mlafferty said:
    There is less than no basis to his complaint: he will likely get nothing, including no settlement. His complaint should not be directed at Apple or the security firm, as they did nothing directly to facilitate his arrest. The arrest was the result of a presumably lawfully issued warrant, so his whining about the conduct of the police and courts will do no good. Hint: this is not a matter of false arrest. He should take responsibility for his loss of his temporary identification and find another way to snatch his "15 minutes of fame!"
    FTFY
  • Reply 14 of 56
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Crazy. He had an alibi and wasn't charged. Witnesses can provide false identifications and so can technology. Physical Evidence is more reliable. Suing just to sue. He sees $$$. 
    radarthekatjbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 56
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    There is just no case here. He will get nothing. Less than that actually as he likely will have to cover court costs and unless it was taken under contingency, he'll have to pay his lawyer too.
    edited April 2019 radarthekatjbdragonwozwozwatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 56
    Why isn’t he suing the police? I’m pretty sure Apple didn’t barge into his house to arrest him. More likely they forwarded the information to the police who then made the decision (likely with input from the prosecutor). They apparently thought the evidence was sufficient.
    radarthekatjbdragonAppleExposedwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 56
    jdwjdw Posts: 1,324member
    He didn't rob Apple before but not he's desperately trying to.  You don't sue as an individual for $1 billion unless you have robbery on the mind.  Only a genuine thief mentality would think that $1 billion is appropriate compensation for what he went through.  As such, the man deserves not even a single dime.
    radarthekatwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 56
    Kinda think it will be dismissed the first day of the trial. 
    Apple and the security firm didn’t issue the warrant. The police does. 
    It’s not really on the people who provide tips to the police to verify their information. Police and the judge who sign the warrant has the diligent to verify the information. 
    Technically, the information they got should be only enough to question him as a person of interest, unless there’re witnesses (like any Apple Store staff). Then again, it still not Apple’s responsibility
    if you don’t have responsibilities, I don’t think you have to paid for damages. 
    radarthekatLatkojbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 56
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    larrya said:
    mlafferty said:
    There is less than no basis to his complaint: he will likely get nothing, including no settlement. His complaint should not be directed at Apple or the security firm, as they did nothing directly to facilitate his arrest. The arrest was the result of a presumably lawfully issued warrant, so his whining about the conduct of the police and courts will do no good. Hint: this is not a matter of false arrest. He should take responsibility for his loss of his temporary identification and find another way to snatch his "15 minutes of fame!"
    Let’s drag you out of bed at 5AM for a crime you didn’t commit, using an arrest warrant based on a picture that doesn’t look like you, and see if you don’t do a little “whining”.  
    Question remains... whom do you have the basis to whine about?  

    It’s the police who collect evidence and present to a judge.  Apple would have handed over to the police what they asked for; the in-store surveillance video and any other records of the public’s attendance at their store.  It’s then on the police to utilize that video and other records as evidence in an investigation.  So it’s a failed police investigation that led the police, not Apple, to seek a warrant and then go exercise that warrant.  But of course, it’s not so easy to sue the police or a judge, plus there’s deeper pockets to go after.

    This lawsuit is likely predicated on the calculation that embarrassment to Apple is worth more than an attempt to fight city hall.  As such, it’s baseless, but the best shot the kid and his lawyer has. 
    edited April 2019 mac_dogchiajbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 56
    big kcbig kc Posts: 141member
    One Billion Dollars?? Who's his lawyer, Avenatti?? He'd better hope not - he'll run off with the settlement money, if there is any.
    watto_cobra
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